with David Blaska

Your humble blogger may be ‘inappropriate’

That is the social network website term for “Apologize, you politically incorrect, conservative knuckle-dragger.” For, you see, the Squire of the Stately Manor finds himself surrounded by the enlightened sensibilities of the Emerald City, where crime is a socio-economic problem that requires panel discussions and weekend seminars, not prevention, apprehension, and punishment.

The source of this high-tech shunning has its roots in the latest spate of home burglaries in the Meadowood neighborhood here on Madison’s southwest side.

A police dog and its handler tracked one burglar from the crime scene to a home on Betty’s Lane but did not seek a search warrant. Via the NextDoor social website, a neighborhood liberal — let’s call him Lars — excused the police inaction on grounds that police dogs can be unreliable.

… cash, jewelry, identity info, or small items they can fit into a bag or back-pack. They are wearing dark clothing and once they gain entry into the homes they are there for an hour or slightly more but seem to know what they can take and escape easily with. At least one home owner said that her motion detector lights were tampered with over Mothers Day weekend so they were rendered inoperable. Again this was thought to be done during the day in an area where other neighbors couldn’t see what was going on or those neighbors were at work. …

In the case of both break-ins on Golden Oak and Redwood the homes did not have a dog. Neighbor on both sides did have dogs and neither barked when the neighbors window was smashed in.

If you have wi fi in your homes, or at least internet access through your cable subscriptions, I would strongly suggest that you install motion and sound detection cameras and pay the fee to have the videos they record stored. This is not an inexpensive option. Each camera costs about $200 and recording services are about $10 per month for each camera. Though these cameras won’t stop the break-in, they will record the perps.

I proposed a different solution, in the tradition of a free citizenry debating public issues:

Lars has a great idea if you want to take pictures of the burglary. If you want to leave bite marks on the burglar, get a dog.

Thoughts to all in Madison, Verona, and western Wisconsin affected by last night's storm. Alderman Phair here on SW side says he spoke with Fire Chief Davis. According to him, Yorkshire St. and Friar in Greentree, just W of Vitense Golf Course, "got hit very hard." Phair tells that the fire chief said 16 houses were damaged, a few to the point that they might have to come down. In addition, 30 trees came down. Most importantly, there were no injuries!"

That is just north of Meadowood and just west of Orchard Ridge.

Deke Rivers has photos of mostly downed trees on north shore of Lake Monona in the Jennifer Street area here: http://dekerivers.wordpress.com/2014/06/17/photos-of-massive-storm-that-hit-madison-isthmus/

Jun 17, 2014 12:47 pm

Posted by
Anonymous

blaska:

I'm just curious...., if you hate the Emerald City so much, why do you stay? Surely you are over taxed and under-represented here in Madistan, so why continue the masochistic behavior? I'm sure there is a gated community of like minded folks in Idaho or Texas that would welcome you with open arms. Both of your friends may even attend your going away party...

Jun 17, 2014 02:36 pm

Posted by
David Blaska

Does a doctor leave his patients just because they are sick?

Jun 17, 2014 03:14 pm

Posted by
Mrbillsbrain

Blood hound or police dogs are "unreliable"? Documented case: A mule running MJ from Mexico to U.S. Picked up a brand new rental truck in the U.S.- no miles logged when he tried to cross into Mexico they ran the dog around the truck. He stopped at the cab, signal of a scent inside the cab. Inside same they opened the center console the dog had pointed out, opened the hatch and a single seed of MJ was there amongst the massive "new truck" smell, this dog had sensed the drug from outside the closed cab. If witnesses were this' unreliable' we would be building prisons as fast as China is building Coal -fired electricity plants.

Jun 17, 2014 03:24 pm

Posted by
Mrbillsbrain

Dave,

My guess is you are insulted by being labelled with the "inappropriate" message title.You've have a long history of hilariously funny, far more "inappropriate" writings (and behavior) no doubt posted in your Curriculum Vita and on your office wall. You did abuse the liberal system's sensibilities however, by writing something humorous that made fun of the perpetually offended and they were ...offended. It's too easy for you Dave.

Jun 17, 2014 04:21 pm

Posted by
Anonymous

davie:

To compare yourself to a doctor is hilarious. Your bedside manor would have gotten you fired and/or sued long ago. But as the earlier poster said, there is no doubt a walled compound somewhere looking for a self-absorbed pundit.

Jun 18, 2014 06:43 am

Posted by
Anonymous

I say any post supporting gay "marriage" is inappropriate. There must be a loony bin somewhere that would accept them.

Jun 18, 2014 11:27 am

Posted by
Anonymous

This is the best blog I've seen in years. Captures the essence of Madison!

Jun 18, 2014 11:55 am

Posted by
Anonymous

Heard a warning on the radio after the storm to avoid travelling to Madison if you can help it.

Sound advice on any day IMHO

Jun 18, 2014 12:46 pm

Posted by
Anonymous

Liberals are constantly finding new ways to be offended. I'm inventing new ways to offend them. I consider that a "win-win."

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About This Blog

Raised on a farm near Sun Prairie, David Blaska is a recovering liberal who spent 18 years in daily newspapers, including 12 at The Capital Times in Madison as a reporter and editor. He served Gov. Tommy Thompson as acting press secretary in 1998 and is a veteran and survivor of 19 years in state government. He served 12 years on the Dane County Board of Supervisors. From December 2007 to November 2011 he wrote the consistently popular "Blaska's Blog" for Isthmus online's "The Daily Page" until, he says, the intolerant liberals ran him off. He blogs from Madison.